Anatomy of the trade

How is Gilbert Brulé connected to the Gretzky trade?

Gilbert Brulé was not quite two years old when Wayne Gretzky was dealt from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings, but even he is connected to the trade that has permeated the Oilers' DNA ever since.

As convoluted as it may seem, Brulé was acquired by the Oilers as part of a trade which was seven deals removed from the Gretzky trade in 1988 but still using assets from it. Brule's departure in January 2012 on the waiver wire represented the last of the assets acquired as a result of the Gretzky deal.

From draft busts like Nick Stajduhar, who played just two games in the NHL, to Sergei Samsonov, who helped thrust the Oilers to the Stanley Cup final in 2006, assets evolving from the trade have left their marks on the team.

Use our interactive trade tracker to see what happened to the assets that were traded for Gretzky. A name in blue indicates the player was traded for another player or players, for draft picks or for money. Click or tap on a face under a blue name to expand the chart and see the next trade. A name in red indicates that the player left as a free agent, was waived or retired. Hover over or tap on any face for information about the trade that player was involved in. No players remain with the Oilers who are connected to the Gretzky trade.